The Miss American Pageant Organization

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. This assistance is not just for the handful of young women who become Miss America, but is available to the over 12,000 young women who compete in the state and local competitions as well.

Rich in history and social significance, the Miss America Organization is a not-for-profit organization that has maintained a tradition for many decades of empowering young women to achieve their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, talent and intelligence. Scholarships have been the cornerstone of the Miss America program since 1945 when Bess Myerson was the first Miss America to receive a scholarship from the Organization.

Participating in the Miss America system not only helps you pay for college and prepare for a career, it also provides an opportunity to gain additional life experience, working on issues of importance to society, enhancing your personal and professional skills and developing your performance-related and other talents.

To compete for the title of Miss Mecklenburg Outstanding Teen, you must:

• Be between the ages of 13-17 and cannot turn 18 on or before July 31, 2011. 
• Live and go to school full-time in the state of North Carolina for at least 6 months prior to the local pageant

To compete for the title of Miss Mecklenburg, you must:

• Be between the ages of 17-24 and cannot turn 25 on or before December 31, 2011
• Live, go to school or  work full-time in Anson, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg or Union counties, for at least 6 months prior to the local pageant. 

The Miss America Organization and it's local and state pageants have partnered with the Children's Miracle Network to raise funds and awareness for children's hospitals throughout the United States.  All Miss contestants are required to raise a minimum of $100 for the Children's Miracle Network.  Unfortunately, if this Miss America requirement is not met, that Miss contestant will not be able to participate. For more information on this, please take a moment to visit Miss America 4 Kids .

The following Scholarship Awards are given at the Miss Mecklenburg County Pageant

Miss Mecklenburg County Winner  $1300.00 Scholarship

Miss Mecklenburg 1st Runner Up $300.00 Scholarship

Miss Mecklenburg 2nd Runner Up $200.00 Scholarship

Miss Mecklenburg 3rd Runner Up $150.00

Leslie Beaver Interview Winner $50.00 Cash Scholarship

Holly Huffstetler Talent Winner $50.00 Cash Scholarship

Miss Mecklenburg Congeniality $50.00 Cash Scholarship

Highest Ticket Sales

Winner $400.00 ~ Entry fee to Miss North Carolina's OT Pageant